Promises Kept
by DaVultCave
Summary: [WIP] A fan ending to Starblade176's amazing story Everlasting Promises. I take NO CREDIT for any characters or content taken from aforementioned story. Go read it first or you'll be confused! - With his training with Chaos complete, will Percy be able to keep his vow to Artemis and reunite with those he loves? Heavy PERTAMIS, like the original.
1. Remembrance

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Again, this is a fan ending to Everlasting Promises by Starblade176. I got frustrated with the lack of an ending, so I decided to write my own. I have no connection to the original, but be sure to go read it first or you'll be confused here!**

**As of this writing, the latest EP chapter is 18. This fic doesn't start immediately after the events of that chapter, but it will go back to that around chapter 5 or so. Instead, it starts with Percy and co's return to earth and reunion with Artemis.**

**Enjoy, and don't forget to review! :)**

**~vult**

* * *

Artemis, goddess of the hunt, threw herself back on her bed with a tired sigh and thought about the events of the last day.

The Hunt had been successful, tracking down a rogue posse of hellhounds outside Houston and taking them down with ease. Granted, they had been more resilient than the regular hellhound, and had occupied her and her Hunters for a full week, but the job was done. It was puzzling, but refreshing to have such a challenge come from what would normally be routine work.

The truth was there just weren't enough challenges to keep her and her Hunters occupied. With the new armor and weapons they had received the day their Guardian had died, almost every monster had become a piece of cake. Their arrows flew straight and true to find their marks, rarely, if ever, missing.

She closed her eyes. _Perseus..._

He had taught them so much, brought them together so close as a family, that even now, almost two decade after he left them, left HER, alone she could still feel it, like an icicle digging into her heart. She hadn't forgiven herself, not then, nor any day since, that she had implicitly rejected his declaration of love for her. He had been the first man to ever capture her heart, to break through the contempt and mistrust she had for all males, to love as she had not loved that piece of filth Orion.

Her armor, and her hunters', was a daily reminder of what she had lost, and while time made the pain distant, it never faded. She would carry that regret with her long after every puny mortal on this planet were walking the fields of Asphodel. His friends, the people who he had cared for and fought by, so many... It had surprised her that a mere man could be so selfless and caring for others, and it had surprised her right until the moment of his death, as he lay broken and bleeding in her arms, begging immortality for the people who meant the most to him.

But was he truly dead? Not long after, these weapons and rings had appeared for each of them, giving them strength and power beyond any she had ever known. The Hunt outweighed the other Olympians in terms of power two to one. And the rose, a single silver rose delicately carved, just for her. She knew of only one person who could have sent it, and that was Percy - but how could he be alive?

The question had tormented her for almost twenty years, as she attempted to find ways that her dear friend might have survived. Nico had been unable to find a trace of him in the underworld, so that was a start, but neither could he be found anywhere else. It was as if his soul had vanished from the earth entirely. Not impossible, given what he had taken to save her from pain and possible destruction... Hellfire, the accursed substance that would sunder a soul from a body, burning it, destroying it, ripping it into oblivion beyond even the reach of the Gods.

And yet, Artemis still hoped. She still hoped and prayed to whatever cosmic entity was listening that someday, she would hear her Guardian's voice once again, that annoying, MALE voice, teasing her, greeting her with those absurd nicknames -

"Hello, Moonbeam."

Her eyes snapped open.


	2. Things Happen

**Elsewhere...**

Hermes leaned forward with a frown. Mortal newcasts were flashing in from all over the world, detailed an extraordinary number of explainable - to them, at least - events. A meteor had crashed in northern Russia. Earthquakes were shaking western Europe. Six foot tall waves were smashing into San Fancisco. Mortals were panicked. Then there were the things they couldn't see. Shadows creeping across the oceans, throwing ships asunder, rushing towards land. Evil eyes glaring from the shadows. Hellhounds running rampant through cities. Hephaestus TV was working overtime, flashing notices across all immortal frequencies. It hadn't been this bad since their battle with Typhon during the war against Kronos, and even then... this felt different. Almost as if creation itself were ending.

And all this in the past day. And now another report. A massive energy blast had gone up south of Houston, exactly where Artemis was last reported to be. If something had happened to her...

He felt a chill creep up his spine. The Olympians had gotten used to her power and rage in the past decades. She needed no help from them, not anymore. Her Hunt had cleared a whole horde of ancient monsters from the very gates of Tarturus itself. Nothing could touch her, nor any of her Hunters. Thalia, especially.

Hermes had a sneaking suspicion that particular daughter of Zeus could have blaster her father from his immortal throne and halfway across the country if she had wanted to.

But if one thing were certain, he knew that finally, after all these years, Apollo's next great prophecy was beginning to unfold.

* * *

**Throne Room, Mount Olympus**

Lord Zeus, king of the heavens, wielder of the Master Bolt, a weapon that carried enough power to flatten a city, was shocked. He sat in the throne room at the top of Olympus, facing someone whom he had hoped never to see again.

Chaos. Primordial lord of Creation. Even his own power was dwarfed by this mighty being, who, if the legends were true, wrought the universe itself and brought them into existence, and who was also.

A woman.

Zeus gaped.

"Oh, close your mouth, Zeus," Lady Chaos chided with a grin. "I was originally a woman, you know. I can appear as a man if I choose, but really, this is who I am."

Zeus continued to gape and tremble. Even his power would be no match against Chaos. He bowed. "L-l-ord-lady Chaos. To what do I owe this intru - ah, honor?"

Chaos grinned, looking up at the sparkling vault of the sky projected over the ceiling. She had visited Earth twice in the past few decades, and before that, it had been eons. When last she beheld the visage of this unique planet for herself, it had been at the very beginning, when Gaia and Ouranos still walked the earth and ruled the sky. She had left it, watching from afar, as an experiment. An experiment to see how creation could function without her help. As she had once mentioned to Percy, humans, and the gods, were, in a way, very much like her.

She paused at the constellation of the Huntress, dashing across the heavens with her bow drawn, firing into eternity. Zoe would be flattered to see her own constellation among the stars. Atremis had put it there when they believed her lost. Little did she know...

With a jerk of her head, she looked back at Zeus, sweating slightly in the suit he had chosen to wear today. Idly, he wondered how Chaos chose her clothes, before realizing that clothes - or lack of - was a subject one should not discuss with the God - or rather, Goddess - of Creation, even if you were the King of Olympus.

Chaos smiled thinly, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. A few more moment passed in silence, before she finally spoke.

"End. End is coming."

"The end of what... my lady?" Zeus spoke, the last two words unfamiliar to his tongue addressing anyone other than Hera.

"No, End. My brother. Oh, you didn't know I had a brother?" Her smile grew wider at Zeus's shocked face, then went grim. "Yes, I have a brother, and it's no wonder you know nothing of him. While my father created me to shape creation by his side, End was created to destroy. It was to keep the balance of the universe. As we created, he destroyed the refuse, the garbage, the failures. But he got too greedy. He loved destruction for its own sake, and cared nothing for life and light. He overcame my father and banished him to the underworld - not your underworld, mind you, but something much worse - and came after me. I managed to defeat him, for a time, but not destroy him, at my own regret. . ." Chaos trailed off, and her voice held a sharp, bitter note.

The lord of the sky stared in surprise and shock. To meet, and to speak to the being who had created the very world they and the Titans before, had ruled over. To hear that he was not only not a he, but a she, and that she had not only a father, but a brother...

But most of all, it surprised him to hear the emotion in her voice. It seemed no matter how powerful you were or how much ground you ruled, your family could always hurt you in the end. Love, betrayal, and lust for power, were they not what had driven the hands of men and gods for eons before. But to hear someone so powerful even legends barely spoke of her, with such raw pain in her voice, made her seem so...

He pulled himself together. "And he is coming...here?"

Zeus was no stranger to returning threats. Kronos had stood in this very room and threatened to tear down their seats of power, before he had been stopped by Percy Jackson. Gaia had almost risen, before falling to a daughter of Aphrodite and his own son, albeit his Roman aspect.

"Yes."

"I see."

Silence fell again. "Is there no way to stand against him? We stood against Kronos and the Giants, surely we can face this End you speak of. I, for one, am not anxious to see my family dead and gone. We may be at our throats constantly, and that idiot brother of mine may annoy me out of my mind, but I would not see them gone!"

For a moment, Chaos was silent. Then she spoke. "Tell me, lord of the sky. Can you feel this?" With that, she shot a mental blast right at Zeus. It struck him head on, throwing him back into his throne, his eyes rolling up as his mind felt like it was being ripped to shreds. He couldn't take it. This was more pain then he could remember having felt. He would go mad.

And then it faded, and the ruler of Olympus sat, hunched over his own throne.

"Why... WHY!"

"What I have shown you is only a faction of what End can do. I am powerful, and so are my, ah, apprentices. But End...End excels at this. As I told you, he was made to destroy. To drive to madness. Not that that small taste would have driven you to insanity, or killed you. No, you'll just have a few minutes headache. Take an aspirin!"

So saying, she conjured up a bottle of Bayer with her hand and tossed it a Zeus. He caught it, slightly bemused.

"Now, to business!" Chaos snapped her fingers and conjured up a sleek black armchair, facing Zeus's throne. "Yes, End wields almost unimaginable power, yes he's evil, bent on destruction, and so strong I barely defeated him at the price of most of creation at the time, yes... but can we fight him?"

She leaned forward, eyes glinting. "I've spent years preparing for this moment. Would you like to know how?"

Zeus nodded.

"Then call a council. It is time I introduced you to my apprentices."

Thunder boomed across the mountain calling the other gods to meeting. Ten immortal beings grimaced. Most likely they were in for another few hours of Zeus's boring speeches. But the eleventh Olympian had her hands full at that moment, and didn't even notice the summons. She had other things on her mind.


	3. Lovers' Quarrel

Two words was all it took to stop her heart dead. Had Artemis been mortal, this would have proved a complication, but as it is, it was barely noticeable. Her breath caught. Had she been dreaming? She had dreamed of his voice before. But it had seemed so real. Was she going mad? Had she... was it...

Slowly, she sat up, and stated. Standing at the foot of her bed, in the same old black chain-covered clothes she had last seen him in, was...

Percy.

Percy...

PERCY?!

No. It wasn't possible. It had to be a trick. A low, evil, trick. It could not be him.

Artemis's vision tunneled. With a scream of pure rage and agony, she blasted the smiling figure with a massive ball of pure plasma, blasting him backwards out of her tent and into the dust. her fireball was packed with enough destructive force to scorch the trees within a 5oo-foot radius, leaving burnt leaves and ash falling to the ground in a twisted version of winter's snow.

Had her Hunters not been immortal - she had continued Percy's idea of giving them each a Golden Apple once they proved worthy - they would have been atomized. As it was, their tents were ripped from the ground and the girls themselves hurled a hundred feet into the air. They all landed on their feet, bewildered, and for a moment dazed, staring at the spectacle unfolding before them. But right now, the goddess didn't care. She was full of white hot rage, silver fire dancing along her form and burning in the pits of her eyes. Any lesser being would have fled to the Fields of Punishment, begging the judges of the dead to hide them where no one could find them, but her opponent still stood.

"How DARE you take his form, you monster! How DARE you try to trick me with the vision of the only man worthy of my love!" she screamed, dashing forward at hyperspeed and unleashing a blast of pure mental energy. She saw him nimbly dodge to the side to avoid it. Surprisingly, to her, he wasn't dead already. Surely no monster or mortal could survive such power? But, again, that thought didn't cross her mind. She simply charged.

Percy hurt. Badly. Even after years of training with Chaos and Achilles, Artemis still knew how to surprise him and make it hurt.

_Some things never change, my Lady_, he though with a small smile, recalling the days when she and he had fought in mock combat, and she had kicked his butt. Literally.

Extending his wings, he threw himself to the side, drawing the twin Elderstars as he went. Rolling to a crouch, he slashed through the air in a blinding arc as a lighting fast barrage of arrows streaked toward him. He cut them down, and leaped up, grabbing a tree branch and vaulting over, sending a dull knife right at Artemis's chest. He didn't want to hurt her; he was still bound by both his oath and love to her, and he would never hurt her, even if he didn't understand her anger. She had not loved him. Maybe she didn't want to see him?

He didn't have much time to think. A raging goddess came to a halt in front of him, the armor he had requested Chaos make for her after his death glinting in the moonlight. With a savage yell, she sheathed her bow and leapt at him, coming up over his shoulder and extending her hidden blades as she did so. On her command, they shot out of her vambraces, ready to pierce his neck - but he was gone.

Dissolving into liquid, he wrapped around her before launching them both into the air. He just wanted to calm her. Unfortunately for him, she had other plans, raining blow after blow upon his chest and wings, causing them both to spiral downward, smashing through the branches of a tree - and another - and another.

While his wings couldn't be hurt, the sheer force of her assault ripped several deep gashes in his chest, and his silver blood began to leak out. Artemis took no notice. She was beyond rage, she was in agony, agony seeing HER Percy alive, and here, and knowing it couldn't be him. It couldn't! How could it be him!

Percy began to realize there was no reasoning with the goddess in this state. Even as he fended off her blows with his sword, sparks dancing between them as they clashed again again, Artemis grabbed his shoulders and pushed off, throwing twin knives as she went and burying themselves deep in his hands. He had made the mistake of underestimating just how far an enraged Artemis would go. The twin Elderstars fall from his grasp, only to reappear in his hand an instant later.

He got no chance to use them, as Artemis continued to barrage him. She had obviously mastered hyperspeed while he had been away. He responded in kind. To the watching circle of Hunters, they were a blur, leaving afterimages of themselves each time they slowed for a nanosecon to strike a blow.

And then it happened. Artemis slashed downwards in a feint, dropping low and diving towards his back, coming up with a blade at his neck. At the same instant, he leaped backwards and over in a somersault, bringing his own blade to her chest.

Damn, she's good. Even Chaos would be impressed at that.

The two combatants came to a standstill. All around, there was silence. A silence that dragged on and on, as the two locked eyes. Time came to a standstill.

Artemis paused, glaring at he foe. He was a skilled fighter, for a man. Against a normal enemy, she would have been long victorious. Even Kampe had barely proved a theat.

Slowly it dawned on her that the streaks of blood running down his chest were silver.

_Silver...like my own..._

She had discovered the change in the color of her blood not long after receiving her new armor and weapon. At the time, it had puzzled and worried her, but it didn't seem to cause any harm, so she had dismissed it as an aftereffect of the war energy coursing through her veins, and thought about it no more. Now...

Slowly, she raised her gaze and met the eyes of figure opposite her. The same sea-green eyes she had last seen close in pain, as death took him stared back, filled with confusion and . . . love. Something deep inside told her no disguise could replicate those eyes and the love within their orbs so perfectly. It had been years, but suddenly she was in another place, the night she had stared into those eyes, and he had stared into her silver ones, and she had kissed another being for the first time in millennia. At least, before Apollo had rudely interrupted.

She lowered her blade, the fire fading from her body and dying from her eyes. It never fully went out, but it died from a roaring inferno down to a pleasant spark. Her body felt weak and tired, as if Morpheus himself were standing at her back. Her knees buckled, and in a flash, Percy caught her as she fell, just like he always had.

"P...Perseus?"

"Hello, Arty." He smiled down at her. "Long time no see."

Her world melted around her. For so long she had wished to see him, begged the Fates to give her a glimpse of the future, to know if there was even the slightest chance of seeing him again, and here he was, and something just told her that it was him, him in the flesh, more powerful, maybe, and, she guessed, immortal, now. Here. Holding her.

Ten years after Percy's disappearance, she had climbed alone to the top of the highest peak she could find and sat, gazing at Zoe as her constellation made it's path across the heavens. She had spoken a wish to the universe, begging for one last chance to tell him what she had been too late to say. She had cried once again, cried like she hadn't since the day he died, and afterwards, in the succeeding years, managed to choke down her heartbreak. It hadn't helped, but it had helped her, knowing that maybe Chaos or some other deity might hear her plea.

And now, it seems, the universe had responded.

He looked no more than 20, confirming that he was indeed an immortal now, like her. Had he not been, he would have looked older, approaching 40, middle age for mortals. His feature hadn't lost the delicate mischief they had in his teenage years, surprisingly enough.

The same old Percy...

A surge of energy shot through her limbs, and she threw herself at him, crashing her lips on his. She saw his eyes widen as he fell back, gripping her tightly as he responded in kind. It wasn't like the first time hey had kissed on the shores of Camp Half Blood. This was passionate, heated, born of separation and desperation and mutual love long untold. It was an outpouring of the years of pain and doubt and heartbreak on either side.

And it was hilarious.

The Hunters, now finally able to get a good look at the person that had prompted Artemis's wrath, were at first shocked. They had see Percy's death, and couldn't understand how he could be alive. Hellfire was supposed to destroy your soul completely. But now, with the two combatants locked in a tight embrace as they rolled across the ground, lips fighting for supremacy as the fiercely kissed, hands grabbing at each other, it left them little doubt that it was indeed their brother, their Guardian, and their friend. Not all of them had known him, and the few that hadn't gazed on with shock, but the rest began to laugh.

It had been too long since they last laughed, and the emotion sounded foreign. Had the earth ears, they would have pricked in shock as the sound bubbled forth, followed by tears of happiness, for the first time in years.

* * *

Not everyone was as happy, though. Eleven Olympians sat in utter shock at the scene unfolding in Hestia's hearth. Artemis, the maiden goddess, who had only loved one man in her life, who was now long dead, was rolling on the ground, MAKING OUT, to use the vulgar mortal term, with a MAN. Aphrodite giggled and clapped her hands, Apollo's hands shook with rage, ready to zap himself over there and vaporize this interloper. How DARE they seduce his little sister! Hermes just raised an eyebrow, remembering the reports of a massive explosion in the vicinity. The rest of them simply gawked, open mouthed, until Chaos finally broke the silence.

"Percy certainly seems occupied, don't you think?" She beamed.


	4. Reunions

**A/N: I know this chapter doesn't have much dialog in it, but I suck at dialog. I promise chapter 5 will have more, though! And there'll be some scenes on Clydaria.**

**Don't forget to review, it really helps.**

* * *

Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, lieutenant to Artemis, terror of the Hunt, could not breathe. The shock at seeing her best friend alive and well after all these years was considerable enough. To be awoken in the middle of the night with no warning by a massive surge of her mistress's energy was a no brainer. To witness a roaring, all-out fight between two of the most powerful beings in the universe, a trifle. But to see Artemis and Percy rolling on the ground, their lips clashing together, his fingers knotted through her auburn locks and holding her hips as she gripped his shirt, pulling at the chains that covered his clothes, furiously pulling him towards her as if she couldn't get enough of him, had rendered her in immobile as she rocked with laughter, doubling over and clutching her chest.

"My...Lady," she wheezed, unable to get words out.

Artemis, of course, was oblivious to this. Oath be damned! She was in love, and for the first time in centuries, she knew what Aphrodite meant all those times she expounded on the virtues of love and companionship. This was Percy, with all the quirks Orion had never had. Kindness, compassion, the willing - in some cases, with complete disregard to his own well being - desire to help others. And although it had been years since she had seem him last, something deep in his sea green eyes just told her, beyond a doubt, that they had not changed. There had been hesitation, but she had seen it melt away the moment she pulled him close. And it felt right. More so than anything she had ever done. She felt like she could lay here forever, on the frozen ground, wrapped in a warm embrace.

But she couldn't. A second loud boom, greatly more insistent this time, shook the ground itself. And that could only mean one thing: Zeus was angry. And he was impatient. Usually he reserved the really angry rumbles for the occasion someone was late to council. And Artemis was definitely late.

With a gasp, she wrenched herself away from Percy. A flicker of confusion passed over his face.

"Percy - how. HOW CAN YOU BE HERE. YOU WERE DEAD. I held you. I saw you...I...you...die...we..." Artemis blushed as she realized she made no sense. The usually calm and collected goddess had given way to lovestruck ramblings. "And your hand!" She gasped as she noticed for the first time the silver hand that was his replacement for the one he lost fighting Numerion.

Percy ran a thumb over her brow, lovingly pushing away the locks of auburn hair spilling over her face. "It's a long story... You'll find out soon enough, Moonbeam. I can't tell you just yet," he whispered; a slight sad look filtered across his features. She noticed, and her heart contracted; she wondered if she would like what she heard.

The pair would have gone on for some time, when suddenly they noticed the crowd of hunters gawking at the two of them. He blushed even worse than Artemis. He was also slightly ashamed, since most of his thoughts had been for Artemis; he hadn't even really given any thought to his sisters, even Thalia. Thalia, who was as close to a sister, a biological one, that is, as he would ever get.

But that was forgotten as they - well, most of them; the newer hunters hung back, expressions of stunned incomprehension frozen on their faces - ran forward and hoisted the two to their feet, swarming around Percy and hugging him tightly. He laughed, that carefree laugh they had missed, that had brought them together as a family. There was shouting, and more laughter, and they couldn't have been happier. Zeus was completely forgotten. Again.

"I KNEW you would come back, Kelp Head!" Thalia beamed, knocking him on the shoulder with her spiked bracelet. "I just knew it."

"Really, Pinecone Face?"

"Yeah. If anyone can come back from the dead, it's you, Percy." Well, who could argue with that?

Little Tracy, who really shouldn't have been so little anymore, beamed and leapt around, begging Percy to pick her up. He obliged, wrapping her in a bear hug. She snuggled contentedly against his shoulder. The Trio laughed and shot sparkling arrows into the sky. Phoebe looked like she could burst when happiness, and she was the one who had tormented Percy the most when he had first come to them as their Guardian.

In all, nothing could spoil their happiness, at least until a third tremor shook the ground, almost knocking them all off their feet, and thunder boomed so loud they all covered their ears with a grimace.

Artemis sighed. "Alright, girls. Looks like Zeus demands my presence. Again! Does he never tire of calling meetings?"

Thalia laughed. "You know he loves to hear himself speak."

Percy shot her an enigmatic look. "Get ready for a, ah...surprise." A mysterious smile crossed his lips and he would not elaborate, no matter what glare Artemis sent his way. Not that she glared very hard. Her face practically ached from the huge grin plastered across it. Aphrodite would have squealed seeing her so giddy.

"You coming, Percy?" she asked. She asked mostly out of politeness; she had him back, and didn't intend to relinquish him any time soon.

_When did you become so possessive?_ she chided herself.

"Yes, but, forgive me, my Lady, if I do not stand by your throne just yet. My, er, mentor has a little surprised planned. Well, more like a big surprise. But you'll like it! I promise."

Aretmis was about to respond when a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, striking a nearby tree and setting it ablaze.

"ALRIGHT! I'M COMING!" she screamed at the sky, before teleporting herself, her Hunters, and Percy right to Mount Olympus. They arrived just outside the door to the throne room. Artemis still looked flustered, fumbling with her hair in a futile attempt to lessen the resemblance to someone who had been recently rolling on the ground, which she had. She gave Percy a small smile and strode into the room, Thalia and the rest of her Hunters at her heels. She took her seat and they gathered around the base, all starting at Zeus, who was fairly crackling with electricity.

"YOU'RE LATE, ARTEMIS!"

"Apologies, father. I was um... busy. Training."

"Yes. Training. With Percy, perhaps?" Apollo's voice dripped sarcasm as he glared daggers at his little sister. Artemis shot him a look, and opened her mouth to respond, before she caught sight of the images still replaying over and over in the hearth: she and Percy, locked in an embrace, rolling across the campgrounds, looking, from this angle, as if they were devouring each others' faces.

Poseidon turned on her. "WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME HE WAS ALIVE! HE IS MY SON, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW! How could you keep him to yourself, doing- doing -" he sputtered to a halt.

She blushed and closed her mouth. She had nothing to say.

"SILENCE, POSIDON!" Zeus bellowed, before turning back to Atremis. "BE THAT AS IT MAY, I HAVE CALLED THIS MEETING, AND YOU ARE LATE!" Zeus fumed, gesturing towards Chaos, reclining easily in her armchair before the hearth. "And our guest has something to say."

As Artemis watched, Chaos crossed her legs, displaying a shocking amount of thigh. A few of the gods blushed. For a few moments, silence held the entire room. Artemis didn't know who she was, but she radiated raw power. And she held their gazes, looking from each to the other, as if sizing them up, looking for something.

Abruptly, Chaos stood up, vanishing the chair with a wave of her hand, and began to talk, pacing in front of their thrones as she went. If she felt intimidated by the giant forms sitting upon them, she showed no sign. Nor had any real reason to. Her own power exceeded that of their own by a magnitude. Yet she needed them if she wished to bring End down. Ironic. Just like the gods needed mortals, she needed them.

"Let me introduce myself, for those who do not recognize me in this form. I -" she snapped her fingers. "- am Chaos." Her form rippled, and she appeared in her more recognizable male form. The assembled gods gasped. Several of them tensed, looking worried. The last time they had seen Chaos was when Percy Jackson had sworn by him and the Styx to protect and serve Artemis as her Guardian for eternity. Now, it seemed Jackson was back from the dead, and Chaos had decided to pay a second visit. That could not bode well.

As one, the Olympians bowed their heads respectfully.

"Oh, don't bother with the formalities," Chaos exclaimed airily, flickering back to her female form. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't need your help. As I told Zeus, trouble is brewing. A greater threat than the earth itself. His name is End. He is my brother. And -" she held up her hand to silence the shocked murmurs that ran around the room. " - and he has his eyes set on your planet."

"Why? Simple. This world was, I suppose, I may say, one of the greatest of millions I, or my father, ever fashioned. Your species evolved a spark of ingenuity that even I could not have predicted. It is unique. I have not interfered. And look what you accomplished!" Chaos grinned. "It is no wonder End has his sights sets on this planet. Destruction is his lifeblood, as much creation is mine. Imagine the pleasure a being who draws on the power of a million screams, a million worlds snuffed out in an instant. Imagine the pleasure he would draw from the destruction of this world. Humanity has the potential to walk among the stars. End would like nothing better than to snuff those dreams out."

Chaos gazed up at the grim faces of the Olympians. The hearth seemed to flicker, and die down, as if a darkness had seeped into the room, devouring the light. She steeled herself. The time had come to reveal her hand. Every instinct was telling her this was a risk, but there was no more time. She had hoped to have years more time to train them all, but End had forced her hand.

"He can be fought. And I have spent the last decades training an elite force to do just that. To exterminate End's influence and corruption across the universe. You may know them..."

With a flourish, she gestures behind her, and the doors swung open. In the silence that followed, seven figures could be seen. Utter silence. As one, they stepped forward into the light.

The Olympians had thought themselves impervious to surprise by this point. They were wrong. As the figures came into view, they paled. It wasn't...POSSIBLE.

Percy Jackson stood at the head. They had seen him alive already, and the shock had been enough. Chaos had forestalled any questions on the matter for now, but the other six...

Behind Percy stood Zoe Nightshade, Calypso, Bianca di Angelo, Charles Beckendorf, and Selina Beauregard. The sixth was unknown to them.

You couldn't say Chaos didn't know how to arrange a grand entrance. Regal and proud, the group stared back at the Olympians with what could most amount to arrogance. Had they been mortals, they would have been atomized in an instant, but they were more than that, now. Far more.

Proud as they felt in this moment, they also felt sadness. An eighth member should have been there to see this return. Luke Castellan had given his life - his second life, that is - to save Percy's. Once again, he had been the hero. He deserved a hero's welcome home.

They weren't given much time to dwell. Amidst the shocked silence, a yell broke out.

"ZOE?!" Artemis was slack-jawed, staring at Zoe as if she were a wraith. Which, in a sense she was.

Zoe bowed slightly. "Pleased to see thee well, my lady."

Zeus was watching Calypso, thunderstruck, which was a rare state of being for the lord of the sky. Aphrodite squealed and ran at Selina, wrapping her in bear hug and exclaiming at her perfect makeup. Hephaestus beamed at Beckendorf, sliding down from his throne, and clapping him on the back. Beckendorf looked mortified. Even Hades, present by special request, smiled warmly at Bianca.

Suddenly, Hades raised his hand, shouting to be heard over the babble. "There's someone else who should be here! Nico! My son!" Bianca's eyes widened.

So saying, he nodded to Poseidon, who grunted acquiescence. Concentrating, a swirling vortex of water appeared in mid air, showering all present with droplets of water as it swirled and frothed. The lord of the sea reached through it, and with a tug, jerked a sleeping form through the portal and onto the floor. The assembly chocked back giggles. Nico di Angelo lay on the floor, half asleep, wearing gray skull-pattern pajamas. Hades looked mortified.

"Nico!" Bianca broke away and ran towards her brother, wrapping him in a hug as he blinked his tired eyes. He froze when he realized what was happening, and pulled back quickly, a wild look in his eyes. Like so many in the room in the past minutes, his jaw went slack as he gazed at Bianca. He sent his senses around the room, confirming that she was indeed real, not an apparition or ghost.

"Wha. Wha. Wha."

"He sounds like a goldfish!" Poseidon said happily. Hades glared daggers.

Nico was in shock. "But. But. But. You're dead. I mean, you went for rebirth! . . . Am I dreaming? Did I piss of one of Hypnos's children?"

His sister smiled, glancing over her shoulder at Chaos. "Not...exactly. And no. I'm alive, Nico. It's really me."

The son of Hades still looked stunned. His father shot him an amused glance and shrugged. Nico looked back at Bianca. For years after her death, he had tried to bring her back, before finally being convinced to let her rest. And when he had gone searching for her, when Thanatos lay enchained and the Doors of Death stood open, she was gone. He had thought she had went for rebirth, but now...

He reached out for her, pulling her into a hug. Bianca. His sister. He could feel her warmth as he held her close, the telltale warmth of life. This time, he didn't hesitate, tears flowing down his cheeks as he held her close, and she responded in kind. He didn't know how she was here, or if she would have to go, but she was there, and that's what mattered. His sister.

Off by hearth, Hestia wiped a tear from her eye. It always warmed her to see family reunited. And she had Chaos to thank. Chaos, whom legends spoke of as a distant and ancient entity, here stood among them, watching the reunions with a wistful expression on her face. Hestia recognized that look. Her sphere of influence was family, and families didn't always have happy endings. Often, they were torn asunder, and people would stare off into the distance, wishing they could bring their loved ones back, if just for one more moment. She had seen that look on the face of Artemis, of Nico, of Jason and Piper and Reyna and Leo, and on countless gods and mortals through the ages. She wondered who it was Chaos had lost. Her father, perhaps? But she sensed this was not the time to ask.

Over in a corner, Beckendorf had his arms around Selina, and her mother was squealing even louder while Hephaestus rolled his eyes and grinned. Hestia wasn't surprised. Selina had been heartbroken at his death, and when she died herself, Aphrodite had cried for days. Love and family were close spheres, and Aphrodite had always been ecstatic to see her daughters find love, even if they did break a few hearts along the way. She wasn't above that. To see the pair reunited was quite touching. And Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus - when she wasn't off dallying with Area, that is - so it somehow seemed appropriate that two of their children would get together, if slightly weird at the same time.

Over by Zeus's throne, the lord of the sky was chatting awkwardly to Calypso. He and his fellow Olympians had imprisoned her on Ogygia as punishment for her support of Atlas in the first Titan war. Zeus would have expected harsh words from the Atlas's daughter, but he saw no such thing. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke lightly to Zeus, yet somehow he felt that behind her kind exterior lay the legacy of her father: that of a warrior. Whatever else the Titans had been, they had been great fighters, and he had a feeling he would not wish to see Calypso in battle if he could help it.

On the other side of the room, Poseidon - he and the other gods had shrunk back to normal size - had his hand on Percy's shoulder. They were talking amiably, but he couldn't help but feel a little sad. Sally should have been here to see this. Neither could he help but notice the glances Percy kept shooting at Artemis. Who was doing the same, much to the amusement of her hunters. She was standing a few feet away, in conversation with Zoe and Thalia, and wondering how she would deal with the presence of TWO of her lieutenants. It's not like it was something that happened every day.

Zek felt slightly uncomfortable, but gradually began to smile and have a good time as his partners introduced him and boasted of his supreme technical skill. It was strange, that despite being of a race quite similar to these humans, and living on a world that had frequent contact with other species, he still felt like humans were at the same time more alien then

But again and again, the question was repeated. "How did you come back?". One by one, the eyes of every person present turned to Chaos. She had said these were her apprentices, her guardians against the forces of destruction. Now it it was time to hear the story.

And so she did. And as she spoke, telling the assembled her story, from the time of her father Helix to End's deception, of the war, of the survival of the ten planets, of her own creations, of her plans, how she has plucked each of them from death and reunited their souls and their bodies, how they had trained, fought, and bonded. She didn't mention Luke. She knew they would tell the others when they were ready.

Percy's story she saved for last, and when she told the listeners how she had found him, wandering the fields of Asphodel, unable to be seen - Nico hit himself at this point - and how he had forced her to forge the weapons and armor that Artemis and her Hunt now wore, the goddess of the hunt felt her heart stop for the second time that night. Never had anyone done such a thing for her or her hunters. Percy had quite literally blackmailed the creator - or rather, co-creator - of the universe AND risked a chance at rebirth, simply to send her a token of his love. And when Chaos described his request for the silver rose that now rested in a place of honor within her palace, Artemis blushed so hard it looked as if her face had been dipped in silver paint. And Percy had the audacity to look smug.

Oh, gods curse him, she thought giddily, reaching out to take his hand and giving Apollo reason to scowl anew.

Chaos glossed over the loss of his hand, only briefly mentioning its loss and replacement, but Poseidon scowled deeply. Percy, however, shrugged nonchalantly. It was his own reminder of his failure, but really, it acted just like a hand. He could even feel with it, so it was kinda like wearing a really cool silver glove. Perpetually.

The council would talk well into the night, discussing, planning, worrying, laughing, before they were interrupted by something unexpected. The great door banging open yet again, and there, standing in the threshold, stood a very, very disgruntled group of immortals.


	5. A Visit

**A/N: sorry it's been awhile. Was at a loss on how to start this chapter. Finally getting down to it, though. Enjoy!**

**I think we had enough reunion stuff, so I'm going to cut it a little short here at the beginning. Credit to my friend Zero for a few ideas here.**

* * *

A small group of immortal stood in the doorway, glowering at the assembled gods. Even Zeus shrunk back a little, as a pair of piercing gray eyes swept over him before coming to rest on their mother. Athena looked vaguely surprised, uncommon for that goddess.

Annabeth and company stepped into the room, grimly surveying the assembly. Percy looked vaguely uncomfortable. His ex girlfriend didn't look much different - obviously she wouldn't, she was immortal now - but it was a little disconcerting. He frowned. Something was tugging at the back of his mind, but he couldn't place it. So instead, he smiled hesitantly. No harm in that.

But, as Annabeth and company stepped forward, time froze. Not like it might in a romance novel when the hero sees the love of their life, but literally. It was as Kronos's power was sweeping over the room in waves, but that was impossible. He was scattered to the void, wasn't he?

To his surprise, Percy became aware that he could still move. A quick glance around revealed a surreal sight: frozen in place in various forms of the Olympians, his friends, and the campers. Frank looked ridiculous in mid-stride. Piper had her hands in her hair, straightening it. Slowly, he took a step forward.

"Hello?" he called out hesitantly. Perhaps not the wisest thing to do, he mused silently.

"Percy?" a shaky voice replied, coming from the side of Artemis's throne. Zoe stood there, gazing around the room with a mixture of surprise, amusement, and anger plastered on her features. "What happened? And uh...why are not we affected?"

It took Percy a moment to respond. Even frozen like a waxwork, Artemis looked beautiful, her auburn hair cascading down her back... he shook himself.

_Now now, you idiot._

"I uh...uh...really have no...idea... I don't think Chaos was planning this, at least."

"End, do you think?"

"Possibly."

Then, from behind them, a third voice, mildly curious. "Oh, did someone call me?"

Between one blink of the eye and the next, a third person had entered this room of makeshift Medusa statues. He was dressed in a smart black suit with deep purple highlights, setting off his pale, almost snow skin. In contrast with his outfit, at his waist hung a delicately carved sword, its hilt intertwined with black and gold designs twisting back and around the pommel. But the most starling feature was his eyes. Like those of Ares, they seemed to burn with an eternal flame, but in the newcomer's case, that flame was a thousand times worse. Within it, you could see worlds blasted apart as darkness consumed them, people fleeing in terror from the maws of creatures so ancient the universe had not see the likes of them for a millennium... and at the same time, you could see light, light rising from the dark, the green of meadows under a sparking sun, or the laughter of a child as his father lifted him from cradle.

"End."

"Indeed. It is me! Or is it 'It is I'? I can never remember. Oh. Ah, yes." End flicked his wrist, freezing Percy's wrist in place, still holding the bolt of plasma he had been about to hurl at the newcomer. "Now, now, now. That's no way to greet a guest -" he waved his hand again, and Zoe's bow dropped to the ground. " - either. Geez, did my sister teach you any manners? I'm not here to kill you, I'm just here to talk!" he pouted slightly.

"And why should we listen to anything you have to say. YOU cost Luke his life! And me my hand!" roared Percy, struggling vainly against End's power.

"Oh, right. Would it calm you if I told you I was very cross with Invictus after that? He does gets carried away, I'll admit. It might interest you to know that his sister never made it off Candor. She's alive, somewhere, sitting on a piece of debris floating around,  
cursing you for all its worth. It slightly amusing... She can't die, if you were wondering, at least, not easily. That skin of hers is veeery tough."

Percy blinked. This wasn't what he had been expecting. Threats, yes. Taunts, absolutely. Sympathy? Uh... He said at much.

End sighed. "I see my dear sister has gotten to you. I'm not as bad as she makes me out to be, you know. Oh, yes, I destroy! It's my job. It's why our father created me, after all. Creation, destruction... it's a cycle. She begins, I end. Simple."

Zoe spat. "You got out of control, boy. Your lust for power, just like a man. You need to rule, to control. Pathetic."

End leaned against a throne and ran his fingers through his hair. "I admit I got a bit carried away. It's not as if my sister didn't. She and father, always running around, creating, inventing. It's amazing what you can do with infinity as your canvas. My job was to clean up the mess. The dregs. The failures. And I enjoyed it. I still enjoy it. But I'm not the Big Bad Wolf, to use one of your earthling sayings. I respect what they do. I respect the delicate and the masterly crafted. I respect beauty..." End's eyes flickered over Zoe for a moment. Percy's other fist clenched.

Through gritted teeth, he growled, "You're lying. You spread chaos and disarray even as we speak. You may not have wanted Luke dead personally, but it was by YOUR cause that Invictus slew him. And you are not doing that to my world, or any other."

For a moment there was silence. Then End said the most surprising thing Percy had heard all day.

"Tell me, Percy... do you remember, oh, what was her name... Nancy Bobofit? The girl who bullied you all through your year at Yancy Academy, before you even knew you were a demigod. Do you remember how you felt, Percy? Angry? Alone? If it hadn't been for that satyr I don't know what you would have done. Now look at you. You and your friends" - he gestures around the room " - became the greatest demigods of this age. And now you walk the stars, with a goddess by your side, serving the being who created the universe, with enough power and knowledge to rule this world and have them all bow at your feet if you so chose. Did you ever imagine this, all those years ago when you sat in Chiron's classroom, struggling with Greek myths. Did you ever imagine how high you would soar? And what of Ms. Bobofit now, Percy? Take a look."

With a wave of his hand, the air around them shimmered and began to bend and distort, as if a giant hand had wiped a slate clean, and a new image took its place. Percy and Zoe gaped. On a park bench sat a man and a woman, perhaps in their 30's. They were holding hands, staring across a little pond at the ducks quacking their way across the surface. She had slimmed down over the years; she no longer looking like a football player, but that air was unmistakable. As the three watched, she took her companions hand and they sat in silence, unaware they were being watched.

As quickly as it came, the scene vanished, leaving Percy stunned.

"But you see, Percy, you may be be a god, and she may be simply a mortal you once knew, but there's one thing that you have in common: you will end one day. You all will, gods, mortals, immortals alike. Even my father met his end, strictly speaking."

Percy and Zoe said nothing.

"So tell me, Percy Jackson and Zoe Nightshade. How will you kill the creator of endings? Think about that... and perhaps wonder why my father created me in the first place. Why Helix would create someone to wipe his slate clean if there was no need? Do you really think he's someone who cares about you at all? Oh, no, sooo busy with his creations and his experiments. This universe could idly sit in a little corner of his workshop forever, for all it would matter. But it won't. Why? Oh, simple..."

"My father was too afraid that one day, one of his little creations would reach too high, so high they would overthrow him. Ironically... that person turned out to be me. So really...this is MY universe now... And toys are meant to be played with, right?" End beamed, then sighed.

"But my meddlesome sister always has to get in my way, doesn't she. She stopped me once, and now she thinks she can do it again, with you eight-"

"Seven. Luke's dead, bastard!" Zoe snapped. End looked mildly amused at her remark. Slowly, deliberately, he stepped forward, until he stood face-to-face with Zoe. To her credit, she did not flinch, but glared back at him with a defiance that would have rivaled Artemis's own.

"Eight, Nightshade. Eight. You do my sister a disservice, if you really believe she would allow one of her precious gang to be killed so easily? Oh, no, Luke isn't dead. He's very much alive. Uncomfortable, but very much...alive." He spat the word as if it burned him.

"I...Luke's alive?" Percy gasped. Chaos had told him he hadn't made it. Had she lied to them? But why would she deceive them? She had made it clear enough that they were the key to defeating End. So why should she keep secrets from them?

Then, from behind them, a new voice spoke softly, causing the three to jump as the words fell into the frozen gloom. End growled and drew his blade, eyes literally blazing as he swung around to face its source.

"I needed you to believe he was dead. It was regrettable, and I'm sorry, but it was all I could do to get him to safety. I... I couldn't bring him home. And so I saw a chance to motivate you to become even stronger. Without that, you wouldn't even be standing here right now. End's very presence...corrupts most people. It's why he stopped time in this room for a moment, which -"

Chaos returned her brother's glare. "- I'm surprised you thought I fell for. Or have you forgotten that I figured out your little parlor tricks centuries ago? I almost expected better, little brother."

End stopped. Percy and Zoe's eyes flicked from one to the other. It was a remarkable standoff. Chaos stood on the right, her silver and gold coat rippling slightly as she tensed. End stood opposite, his blade held tightly, his elegant suit in sharp contrast with his sister's more casual clothes. Then, he forced a smile.

"Chaos... yes. I see you are not so easily deceived. My... congratulations?"

"Why are you here, End?"

Silence. The two heroes tensed, as they suddenly realized they were no longer held in place.

Chaos repeated the question.

Before any of them could react, End shot a wicked grin that didn't extend to his eyes at those assembled. "Why, to see you of course! And now I'll be on my way, thank you very much," he said, before abruptly dissolving in a swirl of black flames and vanishing, leaving the faint smell of ash behind him.

Once again, there was silence.

And once again, the silence was broken, but this time by a massive explosion that seemed to come from within Percy's own head. He doubled over, gasping, as wave after wave of nausea rocked him. His head felt like someone was cleaving it open with Elderstar. He caught a vague glimpse of the throne room and his friends coming back to reality, reacting in confusion and Annabeth's concerned eyes looking down at him as she grabbed his shoulders before the world went black.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, he felt as if he had been thrown through a wall. He groaned. The setting seemed familiar... it... wasn't Mount Olympus it was...

_Candor? Why I am back here? This planet is gone...Is this a memory?_

Eve as he thought it, a wave force blasted through the building, toppling an entire wall on top of him as massive shockwaves raced across the planet's surface, ripping it apart. Huge chunks of motor rained down upon him, burying him under tons of rubble. It should have crushed him, but he still felt conscious, sluggish..

He remembered flying off the planet. He had...he had escaped, hadn't he? But if he has escaped, how was he back here? Had he died here? He struggled to think as he felt more and more rock crashing down upon him, as the planet's surface dissolved in the instant before its end.

A vague memory of Artemis penetrated the hazy fog that was his consciousness. That had to be real, right? It felt real...

Candor exploded.

With the force of a billion Twist engines, the entire planet ruptured from the inside out, hurtling flaming rock and debris miles into the atmosphere. Any person still alive would have been obliterated in an instant. Yet somehow, Percy still felt alive. Something told him he had escaped this, flown away. He had not died here.

Then the darkness swallowed him again, and the sound of the explosion faded into nothingness.

* * *

**A/N: sorry I didn't do more to tie in to the end of EP chapter 18 yet. I wanted to do it here but it seemed better to do it in a later chapter. Added some teasing, though! And I hope you like End's character. It was hard to make him seem evil, a little insane, yet cool and tactical. Why was he visiting them? What did he do to Percy? All will be revealed...later. :P**

**Next will be a special Valentine's Day chapter. Stay tuned, and be sure to review! It really helps :)**


	6. Moonlight and Chocolate

**A/N: Valentine's Day special flashback chapter! \o/ Whoot whoot! This chapter takes place sometime after the hunters accept Percy as one of their own, but before his and the events preceding his death (and before Artemis admits her feelings for him). **

**Since EP didn't really make any allusions to dates, I figure this works. Enjoy, and Happy (slightly early) Valentine's Day! :D**

* * *

For Percy Jackson, floating was something that came naturally. He was, after all, the son of Poseidon. Water was his element.

But floating in water and floating in endless black space were two very different things. He could manipulate the currents of water, but here, in this void, he simply...floated.

It was pitch black. Not a kind darkness, like that of a warm summer's night, but a confining, claustrophobic darkness. Unseen eyes seemed to watch him, whispering among themselves. Was this death? If this was one of the Eternal Realms, Percy would be booking the first flight out of here, first class with extra legroom, thank you very much.

How long he lay there in the empty space, he didn't know. Eventually, he became aware of a small speck of light floating above his chest, glimmering like a small jewel. It simply floated there, dim, but in that darkness, it might as well have been a small sun. By its light, Percy was finally able to see himself. He was wearing a clean white robe, belted with a leather sash, and a long brown overcoat of some undefinable substance. It felt quite hard.

Then it dawned on him that he wasn't floating at all. He was standing on something soft.

_Odd... you think I'd have noticed before._

A glace around revealed nothing. The pitch blackness was still as impenetrable as before, save for the little jewel of light that hovered in front of him.

Cautiously, he reached out and touched it.

Immediately, he felt a wrench, as his memory was flooded with visions of a memory. It had been before his death, before Chaos found him, when he was just the Guardian of the Hunt, and it had been a very special day...

* * *

"Alright girls, what'll it be tonight?" Percy smiled, as the Hunters began conversing among themselves, apparently trying to come to a consensus on the evening's meal. Out of the corner of his eyes, he thought he saw Artemis roll her eyes.

After a few minutes, it seemed that ham, turkey, and mashed potatoes would be the menu. So saying, Percy clapped his hands and the dished promptly appeared, and the girls happily dug in, and Percy followed suit.

The meal itself was mostly uneventful. They laughed when Tracy lunched a whole slice of ham at Thalia's face and insisted she had absolutely, positively no idea how it happened. Thalia looked like she would have tossed a fistful of potatoes back and start another food fight, but a look from Artemis caused her to drop the mushy mess, with a grin.

The night was perfect. In the distance, insects chirped and laughed, going about their follies. Above them, the vault of the sky twinkled with the lights of a million silver stars, winking down from the heavens. The night felt calm, peaceful. For once, everything was right. Percy had been accepted into the hunt, and they had began to see him as a brother. That fact that he did their chores and conjured up food did help too.

So they talked and laughed, until suddenly, Phoebe spoke up.

"Perseus, can you conjure up chocolate?"

The other immediately clamored in agreement, calling out their favorite flavors and types.

Percy raised his hands. "Woah, woah, hold up. I guess I can, but what's the occasion?"

The answer came from an unexpected source: Artemis, speaking up from her end of the table. "It's Valentine's Day today, or have you forgotten?"

Percy could only stare.

Artemis bit her lip to stop her grinning at his confusion. "We may dismiss the dating and the males, but there's no reason not to consume deserts, is there?"

"Ah. Eh. Right. Right on it." he concentrated and clapped his hands again, and suddenly, the table was covered with mounds of all different kinds of sweets. Mounds of every kind of chocolate appeared stacked in near piles. Mousse, Crème brûlée, and ice cream with chocolate sauce sat in silver bowls. Fudge squares heaped over the plates among heaps of blood red cherries. It was as if a candy shop had appeared in the middle of camp, with more than enough for everyone.

The girls' eyes bulged.

"Well, dig in." Percy said.

They didn't need to be told twice. The Trio began arguing over whose light blue ice cream had the most chocolate. Thalia was shocking people as the bit into pieces of fudge, keeping them wondering if Percy had summoned electrified chocolate. Lisa was daintily sampling the Crème brûlée. Tracy was shoveling in Mousse. Phoebe munched on the cherries, and Artemis nibbled on some butterscotch.

"This is amazing!" Thalia groaned.

The statement was echoed.

At last the group, tired, sticky, and stuffed, went off to bed. Tracy lingered long enough to give Percy a hug.

"Thanks, Percy. Best Valentine's Day ever." With a smile, she turned hurried off to her tent.

Percy gazed after here, a surge of protectiveness welling up inside him. This was his family now. This is where he belonged.

He sat back down and lay down on the bench, staring up at the night sky. It was especially beautiful that night, moonbeams lancing through the trees and making fantastic patterns on the ground. A cool breeze rustled the leaves and carried along the scent of the remaining delicacies.

"Perseus."

He sat up hurriedly, turning to see Artemis standing behind him. He bowed. "Moonbeam."

"How many times have I told you not to call me that!" Artemis chided, but without feeling. It was too nice to get angry.

"As soon as you stop calling me Perseus."

Artemis said nothing, but walked over to a tree and gestured Percy to follow. She paused under the tallest one, and gracefully sat down, folding her legs under her, gesturing Percy to sit. He sat, placing his back against the tree opposite her.

For awhile, they said nothing. There didn't seem to be much to say.

"You intrigue me, Percy. You really do. I've been alive for so long, but I never thought males were capable of what you have done."

"What the chocolate thing? No biggie." Percy said, slightly confused.

"No, in general. You've changed the Hunt. Perhaps for the better. You saw how Tracy takes to you."

Another moment of silence.

"People see me as cold, and controlling. I don't deny that I can be, but... loss makes you cold. I've lost a lot, Percy... my Hunters aren't even truly immortal. Zoe had been my Lieutenant for centuries."

He tensed. She had never brought up Zoe before, not since that fateful night when she passed to the stars. He hated to admit it, but he missed her. She had reminded him a lot of himself. Nor was she one to be very open.

"How do you mortals do it? How do you... deal with it all." Artemis pursed her lips. She didn't even know why she was asking. What could he tell her? But something made her trust his advice, and she wanted it now.

Percy's mind shot back to the day he had learned Annabeth's betrayal. The day he had stormed the throne room on Olympus and begged them to end his life. Instead he had found a new family, and a goddess whom he was growing to care about more and more as the days went by. Of course, he could never tell her that. She would vaporize him.

So he chose his words carefully.

"You do...something to take your mind off stuff. It helps. I don't know. It hurt a lot when my mother died, but now... I've accepted it. And I've found a new home here. You have the hunt, and they follow you. Don't let that go. Loss turns you cold. Don't do...what I did." He remembered Triton, broken and bleeding by his own hand, and shuddered. It was a dark side of himself he liked to forget.

Artemis considered his words. He was wise, and kind. Orion had never been like that. A sad ghost of a smile crossed her lips.

"You speak well, for a man."

In the silence that again followed, Percy hesitated, and then, waving his hands, he conjured up a chocolate rose, its delicate petals trimmed with silver foil. He handed it to Artemis with a apologetic gesture.

She looked up. He had almost expected her to be angry, but instead her face broke out in a rare full smile as she reached out and took the rose. She stared at it. Milk chocolate. Her favorite.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Arty."

"You too, Perseus."

Perhaps she had been unwise, after all these years, always seeing the worst in them. Perhaps males weren't all that bad. Percy was everything she respected, and she... could she... could she possibly be developing _feelings_ for this son of Poseidon? No. Impossible...

A cluster of fireflies filtered through the branches, dim points of orange light suspended in the velvety blue dark punctured by the light of the moon and the starfield above their heads. In this moment, all was peaceful.

He opened his mouth, and closed it again.

_Should I tell her?_

_Should I tell him?_

But neither spoke.


	7. Zoe's Tale

**A/N: I've started, trashed, and restarted this chapter umpteen times. I hope it turned out alright. Also, the doc manager derped on me, so sorry this is late!**

**As you probably guessed, this is Zoe's experience with End's mind games. I kinda wrote this while watching The Woman In Black: Angel of Death, so the beginning might be a bit creepy. Sorry! :P**

* * *

"Zoe! Zoe. Wake up!"

She let out a groan, and opened her eyes. Dust swirled around her and clogged her vision and mouth, causing her to gag and spit mud. Coughing, she pushed herself up on her elbows, shaking herself free of the numerous shards of wood and plaster. The source of the debris was immediately evident: the remains of a once-proud town house, now a pile of smoking and shattered rubble.

Artemis grabbed her shoulder and pulled her up. "Are you alright"

"I am, Lady Artemis," she gasped, as a sharp pain tore through her shoulder. "Though it seems I wrenched my shoulder. What happened?"

Zoe then noticed the looks on her fellow hunters' faces. Their faces all bore similar expressions of sadness and distraught. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again as an object beneath the rubble drew her gaze.

It was the body of a girl, crushed, broken, and bloody. Her face was turned away from them, but Zoe had a feeling she wouldn't like what she saw. Nearby, the severed head of a hellhound lay, slowly oozing black blood. Behind her, a crowd of mortals had gathered to gawk.

She looked at Artemis, and a pained expression met her eyes. "We were too late."

But a fleeting voice in the recesses of her mind told her that this was untrue, that somehow that girl had survived. What was her name... Elizabeth? She had... seen her, hadn't she?

Another memory crept into her mind, this one of her confronting a figure in a dark suit before she had fallen and blackness claimed her consciousness. Was that... real?

Hesitantly, Zoe took a step back. Her boots hit cobblestone, and her head snapped up. She hadn't noticed the surroundings before. Towering buildings lined either end of the quaint street, meeting the ground in an amalgamation of people, horses, carriages, food stands, newspaper boys, gas lamps, and filth. In the distance, a very distinctive clock tower stood silhouetted against the gray sky.

England, and certainly not the present day. Zoe felt certain now that this was an illusion. She knew this day, when her hunters had pulled three young children from a collapsing building. So why was she seeing this version of events?

Artemis looked at her, puzzled. "Zoe?"

"I... how am I to be here? This did not happen like this. We..."

Now Artemis looked alarmed. "Zoe, did you hit your head?"

"No..NO! This isn't real!"

With a cry, she took off down the street, weaving through pedestrians as they went about their daily, mortal lives. She ran, and ran, a dark, chilling laugh echoing through her mind.

_Zoe Nightshade, pride of the Hunt for millennia, look at you now...running from shadows... Will you ever lose your sisters, and your brother once again, this time to a fate worse than death? It's all for you to decide..._

"BE QUIET!" she screamed at the sky, falling to her knees and clutching her hair. In the silence that followed -

Wait

Silence?

She swing her head around. The entire city had just...emptied. Not a soul stood as far as her eye could see. Just total...utter...

Nothing.

Zoe Nightshade stood alone in a city of silence. It was downright eerie, and this coming from an immortal girl who lived in a world when the most terrifying monsters were not those of the dark. Ghosts were real, but they were not the evil, vengeful spirits portrayed by mortals.

Then in the distance, she saw something move, coming closer and closer. It took her a moment to realize it was the ground itself, dropping away as if in a crumbling dreamscape. She turned to run, but it was too late. The road dropped out beneath her and she fell down into the darkness.

An instant later, reality - or a facsimile of - hit her in the face like a wet towel.

Her first reaction was that she had jumped right out of the frying pan and into the fire. In fact, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and she rarely did either. She was sitting across a table from a boy - red flag right there - in a place she had sworn never to enter in all her life: a nightclub.

As she had fallen, she had had a sinking feeling that whatever was about to happen, it couldn't be anything worse than what she had already gone through.

Oh, had she been wrong.

She woke with her head in her arms and vision blurry at a small table in the corner of a room, blinded by the incessant flashing of the strobe lights. Dry ice smoke twisted around the press of bodies dancing about the center of the room, sweat glistening off their bodies and they twirled and danced and shrieked and laughed. It was sickening.

As for the boy across the table...

He was blond, dressed in khaki shorts and a green t shirts emblazoned with the slogan "The Sun Is Number One". His black-rimmed raybans glinted in the lights of the club as he arrogantly grinned at Zoe.

"Apollo." She grit her teeth. "What. are. you. doing. here."

"Oh, this and that, my fair lady," the sun god replied with a satisfied grin. "Actually, I should have said that in haiku. Hang on."

He thought a second.

"Ah!. Yes. how about... 'I am Apollo, here to be helpful to you, with a prophecy.' Yes, that works nicely!"

Zoe tightened her grip on the table and took a calming breath.

"And before you ask, yes, this is reality. Not a dream. Your last dream was a dream. Not a very pleasant dream. But it's just nice to talk to one of Arty's hunters without being shot at by all and sundry, even if I'm not sure you even still are a hunter, considering you were dead and all."

He frowned. "Why was I here again. Oh, yes. Prophecy. Well, as you know I'm totally awesome! And that includes being able to see bits of the future. Now, normally I wouldn't deliver prophecies myself, seeing as that's usually the oracle's job, but she..."

He went on in that vein for some time. She wasn't sure if he was deliberately trying to annoy her, or he had simply become more annoying on his own during her absence. That had been one great thing about living on Clydaria. No Apollo.

She said as much.

The sun god stopped and looked hurt. "Really, I was just trying to be helpful to Arty's favorite lieutenant."

Zoe leaned back in her chair, casting a disgusted glance at a gaggle of drunk males who ogled her as they passed, and replied, "Then tell me what in Hades you want to tell me and get out of here."

He sighed. "Fine. I received, well, not a vision, just a strong feeling, I guess.. - " he hurried on "You need to visit Ladon."

"Ladon," she repeated.

"Yes, Ladon. The dragon."

She bit her lip. To be honest, her sisters or her old life had never really crossed her mind. Or... her father. Atlas still held the sky. Not that she particularly needed to see him, but...

"Look, I'm off. You obviously don't want me around. Give my regards to Arty. Or I guess I'll be seeing her myself in a moment. Nevermind!" He winked.

With a growl, Zoe threw a glass at Apollo as he got up. He dodged it easily, and his blinding smile grew wider. He sauntered off, winking at several girls as he passed. They giggled and batted their eyelashes.

The music continued to blare in the background as Zoe sat back and observed the scene, and though. _Why would I need to see Ladon again? And why did End show me what he did? Elizabeth did not perish there... and what of Percy? What visions is End showing him..._

So deep in thought was she that she failed to notice a pair of black, high-heeled boots stop in front of her, until a familiar voice spoke.

"Ah, there you are, Zoe."

Her head shot up, to meet the eyes of Chaos herself. She stood. "Chaos." The microchip in her brain and her own powers did a quick scan of the figure in front of her. It was indeed Chaos. _Now, why didn't I do that to Apollo...?_

"Much as I would like to kick back and relax," Chaos sighed, "we don't have time. It took awhile to track you down here, and Percy is still missing."

"What! You have not located Percy?" Zoe felt her heart constrict with fear.

"No...not yet. It worries me. End seems to have sent him somewhere I cannot see."

Zoe stayed silent. Chaos stepped forward, and, taking her shoulder, dispersed both of them in a flash of light.

An instant later, the two of them appeared, sitting around a round table in what was immediately obvious as a restaurant. Outside, she noticed the familiar New York skyline. Rain beat down upon the class, creating a pleasing puttering sound.

A shout went up around the table from the other occupants as Zoe and Chaos materialized in front of them. Calypso leapt to her feet.

"Zoe! Oh, thank the gods, you're alright!"

Stepping nimbly around Beckendorf, she came over and drew Zoe into a hug. The two girls held each other for a few seconds, then drew apart.

"Perhaps...you could tell me what happened."

The tale was quickly told. After End's time freeze lifted, it took Chaos moments to fill them in on their situation. The Olympians had been speechless. The campers, shocked. The rest of the Eccentric Eight, furious. By the time Zek managed to locate Zoe through a long-delayed ping from her microchip, they had likely worn a path down the middle of the throne room. Zoe had been found, but Percy was still missing.

"I admit I had not expected End to play his hand so soon," Chaos muttered. "How he managed to catch us so unawares, I do not know. As to why he specifically tried to dispose of you and Percy... At the very least, he didn't absorb your soul. That's his chosen method of destruction, you know. Ripping your soul asunder into so many pieces even my father wouldn't be able to put you back together. Perhaps he doesn't have the strength, yet."

Silence descended on the table. Then, Zoe spoke.

"Why are we in a restaurant?"

Silena and Calypso laughed. "Chaos said the rest of the Eight might as well eat, if we were to go harrying off to find the two of you. She's right."

Zoe rolled her eyes.

Choas waved her hands, and a small pile of mortal money appeared in front of each of them. "You'll need that, since we're on Earth. Dragons really are useless here, sadly."

"Look, I'm not that hungry," Zoe snapped. "We should be looking for Percy. And Luke. End did say he was alive. We can't take the chance that he's lying!"

A collective gasp went around the table. This part they hadn't heard. "Whattt?"

She filled them in.

With a sharp gesture, Chaos broke in. "I had hoped to keep you all focused on one missing person before going off after another, but it seems that was useless. I should have know, I suppose. I don't know if End was lying or not. If Luke is alive, then he's somewhere like Percy - somewhere neither I nor the Guardians can find him. And really, we can't go looking for anyone on empty stomachs. I for one would definitely like to try a genuine Earth-made cheeseburger."

Bianca had to stifle a laugh. The rest followed weren't quite so lucky, and a round of chucking broke out around the table.

Zoe threw up her hands. She hadn't mentioned Apollo's message yet, Percy was missing, Luke might be alive, and End was out there, ready to destroy the universe.

She ordered a sandwich.

* * *

**So, this chapter took forever to write! Hope you enjoy. Be sure to tell me if I'm going too out of character!**


	8. Zoe's Tale - Part II

**A/N: Ok, now we're back to Artemis, and more narration by Zoe, and I *finally* go into the events that occured after EP c18 :D**

**Thanks to all of you who've left feedback :)**

**And, disclaimer, since I keep forgetting it: I do not own PJO, and credit for the setting goes to Starblade.**

* * *

Artemis sat cross-legged on the floor of her palace, twirling Percy's silver rose between her fingers, watching the first streaks of dawn creep into the sky. It had been hours since the meeting that had flipped her world upside down. The shock of seeing Percy alive and well after all these years, the joy of seeing her loyal Lieutenant, the surprise at learning that the universe was far greater than their own realms... It was a lot to take in. Her hunters had been overjoyed to see Zoe back. And she... she had flung herself at Percy, the feeling of him overwhelming her as she felt... complete.

She had had barely any time to speak with him, or to hear his story, and even less to process these starling revelations Chaos was presenting them. For all her individuality, she was an Olympian, with all the responsibility that came with that title. She would stand by them - yes, even Apollo - against whatever threat they would face. Especially since failure would mean much more than just their deaths. It would mean the end of so much more, and to be honest, it frightened, no it terrified her. Not that she would admit it.

And Percy. The corners of her mouth twitched as she remembered his mouth on hers. Had he forgiven her, then, for her implicit rejection so long ago? But something still nagged at her: if he had been alive...

_Why didn't he send a sign?_

But then again, why should he have? He had gone to his death honorably, yet fully believing she did not want him. _Perhaps that is why..._

And now once again, he had gone. This time whisked away by Chaos's traitorous brother. After a few glorious hours of reunion, and now he was gone. She cursed the fates; never a good thing to do in any situation.

"My lady?"

Artemis did not turn; she knew that voice.

"Yes, Zoe?"

Slowly, her former lieutenant came and sat besides her. For a few moments, neither spoke.

"You know, it is strange seeing yourself in the sky," she remarked.

Artemis smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is."

More companionable silence ensued as the two stared up at Zoe's constellation against the vault of the sky.

"Zoe... if I may ask... did Percy ever... mention me?"

It was such an uncharacteristic question of Artemis, who had never needed anyone, that for a moment Zoe didn't know how to respond. When she didn't, it was hesitantly, as if the memory conflicted her.

"He didn't tell us at first. He kept it secret, but when he did tell us that he had been made Guardian of the Hunt, I, well... I hated him for it. I assumed he had just done it to hurt you, my lady. I should have trusted him... I should have... well. I do not know. But he told me he loved you. And I believed him. But he didn't bring you up much. I suppose now that it hurt him, since he said.. he said you broke his heart." The words sounded foreign to her mouth as she said it. "It was quite obvious he still cared for you"

Artemis felt her heart constrict. He had thought she didn't love him. A stray tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

"I... I love him, Zoe. I cannot explain it, any more than I can explain this business, but... I love him. I should have listened to Aphrodite all these years when she told me that love wasn't the evil I believed it to be. But after Orion..."

Zoe bit her lip in amusement, the memory of Percy's first fight with Orion coming back to her. "I suppose I should tell you something Chaos left out of the story. The 'General' in the Clydarian military was well... Orion. Chaos brought him back to life as well."

The expression on Artemis's face was decisively NOT one of amusement. The silver fire in her eyes roared, and a silver aura of pure rage rippled out from her. Had anyone else been around, they would have been wise to dive under the nearest article of furniture and beg for mercy.

"Orion. Is. WHAT?!" Artemis shrieked.

"My lady! Calm down! It is true, he is alive, but Percy, well, to use a crude mortal phrase, 'kicked his ass' more than once. And I certainly do not respect that scum. Though." Zoe added, reluctantly, "he did prove himself... helpful once or twice."

Artemis was unconvinced, at this point fairly chocking with indignation. "Chaos... Orion... HIM?! Why! You know what he did! What could he possibly deserve a second chance for!"

Her former lieutenant shrugged. "Chaos believed the idiot would be useful for some reason. Not that I agree."

Slowly, Artemis's anger abated, as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Apologies, Zoe... If I may ask, though, what exactly did Percy do to him?"

A devilish grin spread across the latter's face. "Let's just say he wasn't visiting the Golden Ladies for awhile."

Artemis smirked. _Fitting_, she thought. "So... what service did he render you?"

"Well... after Percy was sent to Candor, and the planet exploded, Orion demanded the communication logs from an orbiting cruiser. One of them was Percy's distress call from the surface of Candor moments before it exploded. Orion went ballistic, screaming something about their blatant disregard resulting in the loss of one of our famous 'Eccentric Eight', and them robbing the Clydarian forces of a vital asset just now, yada yada. I do not believe he actually cared whether Percy made it off alive or not, but he probably felt Chaos breathing down his neck."

"Fortunately, Percy did make it off the planet. By the time Andromeda and Achilles got lock on his position, Orion had all but thrashed the commander of that particular ship. Chaos had to restrain him, actually. Now THAT was a sight."

"What happened after that?"

The huntress crossed her legs and settled into a more comfortable position before continuing. If was just like old times, really, her and Artemis discussing some strategy or plan of attack. Except this wasn't old times, she reminded herself. Sometimes, deep down, she wondered if they would ever get any semblance of their old lives back.

"Well, once Percy delivered his report to Chaos, he was all afire to go off in search of Invictus and pound him and is sister into the ground, but we convinced him to wait. The destruction of Candor was not without repercussions, my lady. We and Chaos were busy for weeks dealing with the fallout. I hate paperwork," Zoe added. "Thank the gods Zeus - or you - never dealt out paperwork."

A musical laugh escaped from Artemis's lips as she reached over and pulled her companion into a hug. "I missed you, Zoe Nightshade," whispered the goddess of the hunt.

The former smiled. "But not at much as Percy, I gather, my lady?"

A fresh blush spread across the goddess's cheeks at the words. "Guilty."

As they had been talking, the sky had lightened considerably. The sun would be rising soon. Thinking about it made Zoe remember Apollo's message. '_Go to Ladon_'. She hadn't mentioned it to Chaos earlier. Why? She did not know. Somehow, the time hadn't felt right. Should she mention it to Artemis?

Her internal conflict was interrupted by the goddess herself. "I am still curious, what happened after that? As you heard, Chaos didn't go into many details..."

"Well, the drudgery continued for awhile. Then, about a week later, we were given a mission..."

* * *

**Clydaria, 1 week earlier**

Bianca swung her twin daggers in a arc, decapitating a training dummy and ripping its insides out as a small crowd watched in awe. It was the day new recruits would enroll in the military academy, and by special request of Orion, one of the famous Eccentric Eight was giving a little demonstration.

The first dummy crumpled easily; it was only metal, after all. The other three weren't so easy. Comprised of holographic beams, they moved lightning fast, and the floor of the stage was equipped with Class A5 stun beams, capable of knocking their targets out for well over an hour.

None of this proved more than a slightly challenge for Bianca. Years of training with Chaos personally had honed her reflexes to a point where she could throw her dagger at a single point on a moving target a dozen paces away, before dashing in at hyperspeed and shredding their internal organs with the small hooks at the end of her blades. Not that any of this was going to be put to use today, of course. This was a basic demonstration for the new recruits, nothing more.

As the first dummy fell, the others fired a trio of lasers at her back. Quick as a tiger, she dropped to the floor, allowing the beams to pass over her head. She then leapt up, kicked the wall, and reached for her other dagger, tucked in a sheath on her waist, and hurled it at the first dummy. It raised a light shield to deflect the blow, but left itself vulnerable to a kick in the center of the back, as Bianca leapt over its head and brought her foot home. The hologram flicked away.

The other two closed in, raising their virtual guns, prepared to fire. A mistake. Bianca dashed forward, sliding downwards at the last minute and "grabbing" the wrist of the hologram nearest to her. She swung it around just as the projectile rocketed out; it hit the third dummy, and it too flickered away. With a flourish, she scooped her daggers up from the floor and trust them home into the final dummy's chest, falling to her knees to avoid a stun bolt that shot above her head. The last dummy faded, and the stage lights brightened.

The audience began to clap and cheer, clearly highly impressed with the show. Bianca smiled and waved, before sheathing her daggers and walked off the stage, past Orion going in the opposite direction. She heard him begin to give some grandiose speech and rolled her eyes. Orion always felt the need to hear himself talk, now days.

Slipping on her coat, she exited the academy and began the walk back to Chao's Tower. She could have teleported, but the feel of the chilly breeze on her sweaty skin felt great. Plus, it was nice to walk every now and then.

She strolled through the Valacrant District and stopped to buy a Crystal Pear-Peach, which she ate as she resumed her stroll. The sights of Clydaria never ceased to amaze her, even after all these years. It was so much like earth, and yet... so different.

But with thoughts of home came a series of different, more painful thoughts: her brother, Nico. To her, he would always be that little boy who played Mythomagic, even though Chaos had informed them of the affairs of their friends back on earth and she now knew he was an immortal, along with the other campers who had fought in the Titan War. He didn't even know she was alive all this time. At least he believed she had gone for rebirth, but... she missed him. He was her brother, after all. _Maybe we'll go back soon..._

The steel gates of the Tower compound shook her from her thoughts. She waved at the new guard - Chaos was always having to hire new ones -, hurried inside, rode the escalator to their Penthouse at the top, and entered just as the other six were gathering.

"Bianca! How'd it go at the Academy?" asked Silena, standing up.

She grinned in reply. "Kicked ass and they loved it."

"I'm sure they did," Percy shouted from the other end of the room. He got a roll of eyes in response.

One by one, the seven of them flopped down on various articles of furniture. Percy looked tired from a day of getting pommeled by Andromeda. Zoe looked tired after a day of Chaos directing her in shooting arrows out of the air - her own. It was a delicate exercise that involved shooting an arrow, then dashing forward at hyperspeed with another notched and ready to fire before the first hit you in the face. More than once, Zoe had almost become a unicorn. Zek smelled of smoke from doing Helix-knew what, and Bianca still looked flushed from the show.

Beckendorf spoke up. "I wonder what mission Chaos has for us now. Hopefully no more petty criminals. Give us something challenging!"

"Mission?" Bianca asked. She hadn't heard about this.

Percy supplied her answer, while sipping on a blue drink of some variety. "Yeah, Chaos said to meet her up here, because she had some important mission to give us -"

"And I do," the lady herself interjected, appearing before them in a sparkle of gold. "And yes, it WILL be challenging."

Silena shot her boyfriend a be-careful-what-you-wish-for look.

"Well, what is it?" Zoe inquired.

Chaos walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down, rubbing her eyes. "Do you know how BORING meetings are? Especially Clydarian political ones. I've just spent all day... Never mind that now. You -" she looked over the group, from one expectant face to the next - "are going to Klasmeria."

* * *

**A/N: well, here's another chapter in quick order! I *finally* got around to what I wanted to do in C5 - namely, describing the aftermath of Candor and the group's preparation for return to Earth. Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review. :)**


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